Emerald (Qld)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Emerald reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the Emerald (Qld) statistical area (Lv2) is around 16,041, reflecting a growth of 1,137 people since the 2021 Census. This increase equates to a 7.6% rise from the previous population figure of 14,904. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 16,015 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 220 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 19.2 persons per square kilometer. The Emerald (Qld) (SA2) experienced a higher growth rate compared to its SA3 area (5.9%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all migration drivers were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort where necessary. Future population dynamics anticipate a median increase of Australian non-metropolitan areas by 2041, with the Emerald (Qld) (SA2) expected to expand by 1,426 persons over these 17 years, reflecting an 8.6% total increase.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Emerald according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Emerald has averaged approximately 20 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 100 homes were approved, with an additional 32 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of 9.3 new residents per year for every home built over the past five financial years.

The demand significantly exceeds the new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. Developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments, as indicated by an average dwelling construction cost value of $542,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $12.5 million have been registered, indicating steady commercial investment activity in the area. Comparatively, Emerald has similar development levels per person to the Rest of Qld, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas.

However, construction activity has recently eased. Nationally, the area's development level is below average, reflecting its maturity and suggesting possible planning constraints. The new development consists predominantly of detached dwellings (94.0%) and a smaller proportion of townhouses or apartments (6.0%), preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. This results in an estimated 1442 people per dwelling approval, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Emerald is projected to grow by approximately 1,386 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth in the area.

Emerald has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Codenwarra Road Mixed-Use Development Site, Nogoa Rise Estate Residential Development, 91 Gray Street Apartment Development, and Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens Upgrade. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Emerald ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Emerald's workforce comprises skilled individuals with significant representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.6% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1%.

As of September 2025, 10,189 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation at 73.8% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in mining, retail trade, and education & training, with a particular specialization in mining, at 5.3 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance, however, is under-represented, with only 7.9% of Emerald's workforce compared to 16.1% in Rest of Qld. Some residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data.

In the past year, employment increased by 1.1%, while labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Emerald's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 5.1% over five years and 11.5% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Emerald's median income among taxpayers is $63,220. The average income in Emerald is $79,209. This places Emerald above the national average. In comparison, Rest of Qld has a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Emerald's median income would be approximately $69,485 as of September 2025, with the average estimated at $87,059. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Emerald rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 81st percentiles. Looking at income distribution, the largest segment comprises 37.1% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 5,951 residents in this category. This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% of residents fall into this income range. Economic strength is evident through 31.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.2% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Emerald is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Emerald's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.2% houses and 18.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 86.6% houses and 13.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Emerald was at 16.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.6% and rented ones at 44.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500. The median weekly rent in Emerald was $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $250. Nationally, Emerald's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,647 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $300 compared to the national figure of $375.

Emerald has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.7% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.3%, with lone person households at 22.9% and group households at 3.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Emerald fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 17.4%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are common, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (35.2%). Educational participation is high, with 35.3% currently enrolled in formal education: 15.0% in primary, 10.6% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 35.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.0% in primary education, 10.6% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Emerald's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Emerald's health outcomes data shows exceptional results, with younger age groups having a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 59% (9,398 people) of Emerald's total population has private health cover, which is notably high. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.8 and 7.5% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 76%, report having no medical ailments, compared to 74.5% across the Rest of Queensland. Emerald has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 8.9% (1,427 people), compared to the Rest of Queensland's 10.7%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Emerald require more attention than those of the broader population.

Emerald ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Emerald's population showed lower cultural diversity, with 82.4% being citizens, 84.0% born in Australia, and 90.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.7%, slightly below the Rest of Qld's 56.8%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.4%), English (28.2%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, Maori were overrepresented at 1.7% compared to the regional 1.4%, New Zealanders at 1.2% versus 0.9%, and South Africans at 0.8% against 0.5%.

Emerald hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Emerald's median age is 32 years, which is lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years and substantially under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Emerald has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (16.7%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (6.1%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the percentage of residents aged 65-74 has grown from 4.7% to 6.1%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 5-14 has declined from 17.6% to 15.6%, and the percentage of residents aged 45-54 has dropped from 12.6% to 11.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that Emerald's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 25%, adding 665 residents to reach a total of 3,344. In contrast, both the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.